The population of the Asiatic lion is confined only to Gujarat, and constitutes a single population that is vulnerable to extinction. In 2013, the Supreme Court directed that a second home be created for the Asiatic lion in Kuno–Palpur Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh. However, no concrete steps have been taken in this direction. On the contrary, regressive policy changes have been carried out with the clear objective of undermining the Supreme Court’s judgment.

In his ET article, ‘The Need to Mope About Mopa’ (April 15, bit.do/eQG6s), NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant describes the Supreme Court’s suspension of the approval granted to build an airport in Mopa, Goa, as ‘unfortunate’. He goes on to state that the decision will be “irreparably harmful for investor confidence and foreign investment” and is a “dangerous precedent to set”. It is neither, and the court’s decision is welcome.

In a landmark judgment delivered in December 2018 in the Divya Pharmacy versus Union of India case, the Uttarakhand High Court held that all Indian companies which are extracting biological resources are liable to seek prior approval as well as share part of their revenue with the local communities that are responsible for conserving and protecting such resources. The final judgment was an outcome of a litigation spanning multiple hearings over two years in which Divya Pharmacy vehemently opposed either seeking prior approval from the State Biodiversity Board or sharing a part of its revenue with the local communities as ‘fees’ under what is termed as ‘fair and equitable sharing of benefit’

India’s wildlife is in a crisis. The crisis stems not just from traditional threats to wildlife such as deforestation, poaching, and habitat destruction, but also from a complete policy paralysis and governance failure with respect to the conservation of wildlife. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) today functions with two part time ministers; the National Board for Wildlife has not met since the present government came to power and the success of the MoEFCC is judged by the number of Environmental and Forest clearances it has granted, therefore facilitating the ‘ease of doing business’. It is with the above background in mind that one has to look at the new National Wildlife Action Plan (NWAP) for 2017–31. The question to ask is whether the new action plan will be able to achieve the goal of wildlife conservation in the currentera of ‘business above all’.

Trees become the first victims of infrastructure expansion in urban areas. Laws and institutions for the protection of trees have not kept pace with the increasing developmental pressures. A fundamental reform in the law is needed, so that it is able to comprehensively protect trees in an urban landscape.

You know you will be penalised for driving a car without a license. But if you spewed toxic materials into the air without a licence under environmental law, you only need to fear receiving an amiable letter.